A Lot Like Love
by 3shells
Summary: SasuSaku. Lemon. Post-Manga. Because the greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.


Author's Note : Oh God, I couldn't believe I wrote this M-rated fanfiction. I've never written any love scenes before, but I've certainly read lots of them. *blush* I really hope you enjoy the story.

Sasuke might seem a little bit OOC here, but I'd always imagined that he would've mellowed out as he matured. Not so emotionless, I supposed. So… yeah.

And anyway, just as a final reminder, this story contained heavy adult scenes, so if you're uncomfortable with that, please do press back and return to the main page. ;)

P.S. Because when life gives you lemons, make smut! :D

Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto.

Summary : SasuSaku. Post-Manga. Because the greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.

* * *

><p>"Do you take this man to be your husband?"<p>

A pregnant silence filled the commodious, extravagant Hyuuga mansion, as if it, along with the fifty plus guests, waited breathlessly for the bride's response. No one doubted what the answer would be, but nonetheless there was eager anticipation as Hyuuga Hinata finally said, "I do" and became Uzumaki Naruto's wife.

At those words, Sakura let out a long, inaudible sigh of contentment. Sitting at the front row next to her former sensei, she could barely contain the delight that swelled within her heart.

Seeing Naruto, her treasured teammate of twelve years, her brother in anything but blood, marry the woman he worshipped was a dream come true. No one deserved happiness more. And Hinata, naturally, was equally in love. Her stunning, elegant face held an expression of tender reverence as she listened to Naruto repeat the same vows she had just recited.

While the minister continued his instuctions, Sakura's gaze shifted to the guests. It was not a sizable group by most standards, especially for a man of Naruto's notoriety and prominence, but both intended had wanted in attendance only those who meant something to them. That included a handful of friends, including the Konoha 12 and the Sand siblings, former tutors, as well as a couple of close-knitted relatives of the Hyuuga family.

Her attention moved back to the people standing at the front of the hall with the bride and the groom, focusing at last to the one person she'd been studiously avoiding not only talking to but even acknowledging for the past couple of days: Uchiha Sasuke. Her love, but never her lover.

Sakura had always thought Sasuke was beautiful, in a way that an austere landscape on a wintry day could be beautiful. His hair was long, thick and as black as a raven's wing, his features striking and aristocratic. He was tall and lean, his body a perfect frame for the elegant simplicity of the suits he was currently dressed in. And his lips… They were set in a perpetually brooding curve that she found completely irresistable.

She drew a breath. When he'd shown up at the village a few weeks prior to attend to his responsibility as the best man, she'd been over the moon with joy, eager to catch up after not having seen him for six excruciating months. The euphoria did not last very long, unfortunately, for every conversation they'd shared since had ended quickly, with him continually ignoring her for the majority of the interactions.

She'd thought that perhaps she had imagined his animosity, but three days ago, during the annual medical check up on his prosthetic arm that she'd been requested to perform, the feelings had been even more prominent. Every question she'd asked had been met with a grunt or a one-word answer. Standing in front of him while he kept his gaze on anything but her had been just another frustration. Sakura had eventually given up and continued the examination silently, alternating between confusion, annoyance, and discomfort.

Last night, at the rehearsal dinner, she'd gotten a hard, pointed look and a nod of acknowledgement. Nothing more, not even a single syllable. Out of the sheer necessity to disguise her hurt, she had lifted her head, put a blank, polite mask firmly in place, and merely nodded back.

It had been uncharacteristic of him to be so distant, his behavior had waffled between aloof and impassive to downright rude. Sakura should like to think that their bond had fared dramatically better subsequent to the war, something she was exceedingly grateful for.

In the initial scarce exchanges she'd had with him amid his travel, he had merely been cordial. As if they were each testing the water, experimenting with the novelty of their fragile connection. Trying to work on extinguishing the barrier between them, the almost impenetrable, granite-hard fortress fashioned by years of separation and extended history of animosity.

A couple of years had gone by as change gradually, steadily took place. They were platonic and amiable. He was far more keen and engaging, warm yet still appearing apathetic in the effortless way that only Sasuke could make work. The unexpected discovery of their blooming friendship had given Sakura a sense of lightness, of buoyancy. A sense of hope that it might mature into something more meaningful, something laden with trust and intimacy and love.

During the past year, especially, Sakura had thought he might possibly have feelings for her in return.

But now… It was like they had digressed, once again a stranger to each other, seven years of progress distinguished in a blink of an eye.

Sasuke moved his dark head slowly and looked directly at her, as if he knew her eyes were on him. Onyx eyes, glittering like shiny jewels in his face, stared intently at her. Immediately, she jerked her attention to her gown, a red silk sheath with an overlay of silver sparkles. Her face glowed fire-red, embarrassed as to be caught staring.

"May I present to you Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hinata."

What? Appalled she had been daydreaming about Sasuke and missed the majority of Naruto's wedding, Sakura stood and exploded into applause, startling everyone. Luckily, the entire guests followed suit, everyone joining in exuberantly.

Naruto gave her an approving wink. She felt her mouth twitch with a smile. Naruto, who detested formality and the primness that went with it, must be bored out of his mind listening to the extensive preaching of the minister.

He had initially wanted a modest, straightforward, shotgun-type ceremony conducted by the Rokudaime Hokage at his office. But the Hyuuga clan, who was renowned for their conservativeness and quite a stickler for orthodox traditions, had been mortified and insisted on a 'proper' nuptial.

A very tedious, intricate, and quiet nuptial.

Sakura grinned. Well, at least she had made Naruto happy, even unintentionally. Today was his and Hinata's wedding. Her preoccupation with a man who frustrated and confused her beyond reason did not belong here. For now, she wanted to celebrate and be thankful for what she had.

* * *

><p>Sasuke stood in the corner of the reception hall, his back to the wall. He had watched Sakura during the entire ceremony, looking breathtaking in her glittering evening wear. She was currently engrossed in a conversation with her Yamanaka best friend, and was doing that thing with her mouth again. Did she know that when she was anxious, she nibbled on her lower lip? Did she know it was distracting as hell?<p>

The thought of her lips left him hot and explosive, especially after awakening with another urgent discomfort that morning. He'd been plagued with stimulating dreams in which Sakura's naked body had been writhing against him, beneath him. All the desires he kept at bay had expressed themselves in those dreams. He had been holding her, thrusting inside her. And her mouth... That wanton mouth had delicately feasted on him, exploring him with inquisitive little licks.

Bathing in frigid water had helped his condition marginally, but Sasuke was still aware of the heat burning far too close to the surface.

"Have time for a little talk?"

Sasuke turned to see Naruto standing beside him, bringing him out of his musings. The amused twinkle on his cerulean eyes was not a sign of anything good. "What is it?"

"Let's go outside."

Sakura arched a brow, but nevertheless followed him out the door to an enclosed courtyard of the private garden. Both men remained silent until they stopped at the middle of the secluded area.

"What's wrong?"

"I should be asking that question. What's wrong with you? For some reason, you keep on avoiding Sakura-chan."

Sasuke didn't even have a curse vile enough to spew. For someone so clueless, Naruto had always been able to read him like an open book. And Sakura… Sakura was one of the few people who had the ability to destroy his carefully built façade.

"It's none of your business," he said indignantly.

Naruto shrugged. "I suppose it's not. I just thought she looked mighty upset today."

Onyx eyes narrowed. "And you assumed it's because of me?"

"Well, it usually is."

His jaw clenched, Sasuke remained silent. What the hell was he supposed to say? As much as the comment hurt, it was also the truth.

"I'm well aware of that."

Naruto paused for a second and he said, "You know, it's not a sin to be attracted to her. Sakura-chan is an extremely beautiful woman."

Sasuke needed no reminder. He had known how attracted he was to Sakura, for almost two years now. That his heart thundered like a herd of stampeding rhinos when she was near or that another body part hardened at just the thought of her luscious body. But those were secrets he'd take to his grave.

She thought she had offended him somehow, and while he regretted her wounded feelings, that had been inevitable. Acting like a jerk, something he had a lot of practice with, was so that she'd never known how pushing her away had physically pained him as much as it had her, perhaps more.

The news of her recent closeness with another man had deeply influenced his decision to alienate himself from her life. Arriving at the hospital late morning to pick her up for their customary first-day-of-arrival lunch, he'd overheard a couple of nurses mingling at the entrance, chattering incessantly about Sakura's intimate dinner with an unknown Yamanaka the night prior. They were a perfect match, the nurses had squealed, before continuing on a detailed discussion of the pair's previous dates.

His reaction so startled him, he stopped dead in his tracks. Hurt, fury, regret, and a thousand other emotions swirled together into a combustible firestorm he almost couldn't contain. Every jealous inflammatory cells in his body zoomed toward explosion, impelling him to tear the man to pieces until he backed of and got his hands off Sakura.

Then disgust followed. He had no right to be bitter or envious, her having a lover. She deserved every happiness, the very best kind of man. Sasuke was more than aware that he wasn't it, not with his horrific backgrounds and massive emotional burdens. Furthermore, as the ambassador of Konoha, he carried a heavy responsibility of ensuring the civility between the nations. It seemed a fairly insignificant consolation for his sins, but he took his duty very seriously, and more often than not was away from the village.

She deserved so much more than him.

"Someone needs try and talk some sense into you," Naruto said softly. "Don't throw everything away−and breaking Sakura-chan's heart−just because you're too afraid to let go of the past."

"I don't need your interference," Sasuke bit out. The hard glower he gave the other man would have stopped most people from treading further into dangerous territory. Of course, Uzumaki Naruto was not most people.

"There's more to live for than guilt. More to live for than punishing yourself. I've seen Sakura-chan fight for you for what seemed like a longest time, loving you with every fiber of her being. I think it's time for you to fight for her."

Silence filled the vicinity while they each tried to stare down the other. Seconds later, Sasuke blew a long sigh, his face grim. Talking about feelings and emotions, especially with another man, was on his list of least favorite things, right behind getting a shot and eating sweets. But what the hell? Shifting his gaze, unwilling to meet his best friend's eyes as he spoke, he gave the man the truth: "I'm not good enough for her."

Instead of disagreeing, Naruto sputtered with laughter. "You think I don't feel that way with Hinata-chan? There's not a day gone by that I don't ask myself how the heck I got so lucky. Hinata-chan is the very best part of me… She's a much better person than I am. And she makes me a better man by loving me."

Sasuke swallowed hard. Naruto and Hinata had a good relationship, even before their marriage. There was a contentment in him that hadn't been there whenever he was with his wife, the fear of loneliness and desertion that had always lingered in his eyes entirely wiped out. Perhaps loving Hinata did make Naruto a better man. But Sasuke's soul was riddled with far more entanglements than Naruto's, weighted by heavier guilt as well as self-condemnation. Would he get the identical sense of gratification if he ever accepted Sakura's love?

"Damn it. I wish I could be what she needs, dobe."

Naruto folded his arms across his chest and regarded Sasuke with expert assessment. "What exactly do you think she needs?"

"She needs someone as good as she is."

"Wrong." Naruto snorted. "She needs you, can't live without you. You're so convinced you have nothing to give her. There's a kind of selfishness in that, don't you think? Deciding what she needs. Disregarding her feelings. Setting her so high on the pedestal that it absolves you from any responsibility."

"No one with my past could ever be worthy of her," he said with guttural sincerity.

"Sakura-chan is a strong girl. I spent years watching as she waited for you. After all the struggle she's faced, don't you think she's entitled to make her own decisions? If she wants to spend the rest of her life with you, that's her right." Naruto sighed. "And if you're the one she wants, don't be an asshole by turning her away." Having made his point, Naruto started back to the hall.

Sasuke turned his eyes to gaze around the peaceful serenity of the garden, a myriad of questions regarding his talk with Naruto assaulting his mind. Did Sakura really want him? Was he deserving of her, with all his sins and regrets and culpability?

Seconds passed as his mind roiled. He'd thrown every argument he could think of into his path, only to come to one final, inevitable conclusion: the dobe was right. Sakura didn't deserve the best kind of man. She deserved the man she wanted.

Him.

Something loosened inside him as the thought dented, and for the first time in weeks, hope flickered, warm and bright, a welcome relief from his earlier, churning emotions. And with it, came possibilities. Opportunities for a future, of him and Sakura.

Constant exposure to sole traveling had given him the time to ponder, elevating his thoughts to considerations of what he wanted out of life. The answers were numerous and varied, but there had been a singular absolute concrete. He wanted a family. A place to belong.

A home.

No one had reminded him more of home than Sakura. She was the kind of compassionate person who always seemed able to make him at ease. She was goodness and light; love, comfort, bravery and resilience all wrapped in a single package. She had the most amazing heart and a deep, fierce loyalty.

For Sasuke, home wasn't a place. It was a person. Her.

Yes. Knowledge and acceptance spread through him like warm, silken honey. His heartbeat hammered in his throat. Sakura was the key to his future. He couldn't fathom raising a family with any other woman but her.

Sasuke clenched his fists. So he'll be damned if he handed her over to be romanced by a freaking nameless shinobi without a fight.

The thought of her finding white picket fence happiness in the arms of another man had pure, unbridled fury simmering in his mind. He relished the emotion, channeling the rapid rush of pure adrenaline into fortitude and determination to get her back in his life.

Whatever the cost.

* * *

><p>"You know," Ino fumed, "Of all the good-looking people in this room, why do I have to get stuck with the clueless, socially awkward, and, well, just generally obnoxious Sai?"<p>

Sakura snorted. "You're the one who asked him to be your date."

"Huh."

"Yep."

Ino grinned and stuck her tongue at Sakura. "Well, he IS good-looking."

Taking a long, cold swallow of her concoction, Sakura couldn't help but hope that they went further than a single courtship. Since Ino was just coming out of a bad breakup, having an attractive man taking her out was a definite mood enhancer, regardless that it was only Naruto's wedding reception.

Sakura inwardly sighed. Even if she wasn't happy, it didn't mean her best friend couldn't be.

Melancholy swept over her as she glanced at the beautiful interior of the Hyuuga mansion, the guests laughing and chatting while music floated lightly over the scene. So much to enjoy and appreciate, yet all Sakura wanted was to be alone with the most unavailable man in the room.

"How's your date with Kenji, anyway?"

She lifted her shoulders, not caring to explain that she'd been somewhat attracted to him, but compared to Sasuke, he was nothing more than just a simple, nice guy. "It's okay, I guess. I've only been out with him a couple of times."

A month ago, she had been introduced to Yamanaka Kenji, a former Sunagakure shinobi who also happened to be a distant relative of Ino from her paternal side. With golden-blonde looks and the charm that went with it, along with his expertise as an ANBU Interrogation Specialist, Sakura supposed he could be considered quite a catch. Yet there was no point in repudiating the lack of chemistry between her and Kenji, and she realized precisely why.

She inwardly winced. A clear indication that Sasuke meant much more to her than any other man in her past, and perhaps future. As if she needed more proof.

"Only okay?" Ino rolled her eyes. "You're either blind, stupid, or in love. Well, in your situation, it's more of a 'stupidly blinded by love' case."

"Shut up, Pig."

Ino's baby blue eyes considered her for several long seconds, as if weighing her words. "I'm worried about you, Forehead. This thing between you and Sasuke, it's like a ticking time bomb. A poison. It's eating you from the inside." She blew an exasperated sigh. "Perhaps you should let go of him. Don't let him decide the rest of your life for you."

Sakura dropped her gaze to her drink, swallowing a giant lump that she greatly feared might be a permanent affliction whenever the topic revolved around Sasuke. A brave smile was beyond her at this point. The best she could hope for was a halfway calm façade. "I'll be fine, Ino. Really. I cannot say it doesn't hurt because I'd be lying. I'm hurt, and at times it's unbearable. The misery and pain, they're excruciating. Suffocating. It's just…" Breath shuddered through her. "I can't give up hope now. Not when..."

Blond brows drew together in a frown. "What is it?"

Her mouth curved in a small, dejected smile. "You don't know him like I do."

Multitude of memories roiled like the ocean during a hurricane as words flew rapidly out of her mouth, divulging to Ino the clandestine fractions about Sasuke that she had kept vehemently close to her heart. Outsiders tended to view Sasuke as the emotionally stoic man he had been, cold and calculating. Outsiders knew nothing of the benevolence, the warmth that lurked behind his remote surface.

Outsiders hadn't seen how considerate he had been, continually taking her out to ensure she ate properly. How chivalrous he had been, always accompanying her home even when he understood she was more than adept enough to defend herself. How thoughtful he had been, constantly sending her an array of scrolls and passages of any unique and valuable medical jutsus he discovered during his journey.

He was everything she ever wanted in a man, and much more.

Sakura could feel the surprise radiating from the woman in front of her. It was sheer selfishness on her part, wanting to keep that intimate side of him for herself. The one bared only after years of reconnecting, years of uncovering interminable layers of guise and blank-faced stoicism. Sasuke's true self.

Maturity and experience had given her insight into reading him, skills she hadn't had when they were together before. Though he didn't say it and maybe hadn't even admitted it to himself, Sakura had seen the affection, the naked desire and want in his eyes when he was looking at her. Instances where those bright emotions, so fleeting she almost thought she had imagined them, crossed his face.

Grief swamped. That connection, that precious, cherished connection she'd had with him might now be lost.

Of why, she did not even know.

Her heart clutched. "I thought he cares for me, Ino."

"Damn right I do."

The gruff, harsh voice caused her to whirl around. It was Sasuke, dark and looming and aggressive as he strode toward her and Ino. Sakura's jaw sagged in disbelief. She had never seen Sasuke so angry. They had rarely argued, and even during their worst arguments, he'd been cooly controlled. Sakura took a breath to still her pounding heart and quell the flush of yearning that was already zooming through her body at his proximity. She raised her chin. "Well, it sure doesn't look like it, Sasuke-kun."

His eyes glittered with a ferocity that wasn't at all like him. He lowered his head, so close until Sakura was almost sure he was about to kiss her. Swallowing a whimper of anticipation, Sakura stood on her toes, and waited. In the next instant, however, he pulled away. His eyes on full glare now, he grunted, "We need to talk. Not here."

Realizing they had attracted unsought attention and were gradually developing audiences, Sakura gave him a taut nod, then glanced back to the concerned Ino. "I will be going first, okay?"

Not even giving her friend the opportunity to respond, Sasuke gripped her upper arm, hauling her as fast as her feet could carry her towards the entrance.

* * *

><p>When Sasuke entered the apartment, Sakura was in the kitchen, boiling water for some tea. He'd decided to go for a short walk after walking her back before attempting any conversation. Clearing his head and restraining the pent-up, explosive energy surging through him after their heated encounter had been a necessity.<p>

Coming in from the backyard after his conversation with Naruto to hear Ino coaxing Sakura to give up on him, persuading her that he could never reciprocate her love… Emotions he hadn't allowed himself to feel for the past week sprung to life, regret and guilt had blended with new anger and hurt. Hell, the thought of her believing Ino for even a second shredded his insides into millions of pieces.

He wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled, bellowing her for even questioning his feelings, then frantically kissed her until neither of them had any breath left.

Without turning to look at him, she said, "Are you going to say anything?"

He approached her hesitantly. "I'm sorry."

"I do not need your apology." She turned around, indignation and temper heightening the colors in her face. "Why did you push me away?"

Sasuke stopped before her, and took his time about answering. "Because I care about you."

Sakura went still. After a long hesitation, he heard her ask in a far milder voice. "The silent treatments. The rudeness. The million excuses for missing our regular lunch. You're supposed to tell me you did all those because you care about me?"

"It's the truth."

She regarded him doubtfully. "Elaborate, then."

"I thought staying away from you would be the best."

"Why?" she demanded.

Sasuke scrubbed his hand trough his hair and asked guardedly, "Do you remember what happened two weeks ago?"

Sakura frowned. "When you didn't show up at the hospital?"

He nodded. "I was there."

Bewilderment washed through her. "What do you mean?"

A tight smile played around his mouth. "I heard a couple of woman discussing your dates."

Her eyes, wide and filled with shock, locked with his. "You were... jealous?"

Sasuke clenched his jaw. "I was ready to throttle his throat. If I had any less control over my temper, I would have done so, in a heartbeat." He closed his eyes.

"He never mattered to me," she assured him softly. "Not in the way you do."

The relief in his face caused a small pain in the region of her heart. "I see." He swallowed hard. "At that time, I was angry. Hurt. But you deserved all the happiness in the world, a future with a worthy man. Not a cold-hearted, former criminal."

Sakura's breath hitched with a half laugh, half sob. "So, you decided to be the self-serving champion."

"I made a choice. I wanted you to be happy. I thought distancing myself from you would be my contribution to that happiness."

Emotion bubbled inside her, looking for an outlet. Of all the things she could think of why Sasuke suddenly decided to desert their relationship, this was the last one she would have come up with. This man who acted as though he were so unworthy was, for her, the worthiest of all men. Tears spilled from her eyes and she didn't try to stop them. "Why the sudden change?"

"I know I'm a bad bargain," he said. His tone shredded with self-mockery. Sakura longed to comfort him, envelop him with kisses, and surround him with her strength.

"You're no-"

"I am," he insisted hoarsely. "But someone told me earlier that I didn't get to be the one who decide on what you needed. That I was selfish to disregard your feelings. That you were entitled to make your own decisions." A flicker of vulnerability crossed his face. "For the last few years, I knew my life was incomplete. I want a family. A home. A place to belong."

He reached for her cheek and laid his hand down the side of her face. Black eyes gleamed down at her with a mixture of tenderness, possessiveness, and perhaps a little bit of nervousness. "You're that home, Sakura. I want to build a life with you more than anything, if you'd still have me."

Sasuke was anxious. There was no other way to describe the feeling. He, who faced some of the mightiest, most influential foe in the world, was now shivering in dread. This woman held his entire life, his future, in the palm of her hand.

Naruto had said Hinata's love made him a better man. Sasuke still didn't know if that was possible for him. He only knew that Sakura made him want to be the kind of man who deserved her love.

Almost dizzy with shock and hope, she said, "I want that more than anything too." With a sob, she threw herself into his arms. As relief and a thousand other emotions swamped him, he closed his arms around her and held her tight against his chest.

Raising her head to look up at him, she cupped his face in her hands. "I love you. I've never stopped loving you."

He swallowed around the giant lump in his throat, and took a shaky breath. "I know."

Leaning forward, she whispered unevenly, "Kiss me, Sasuke-kun."

"Sakura." He said her name as if it were a reverent player. Moving his mouth slowly, softly, he traced her entire face with his lips. A ragged moan escaped her, and he swallowed it as his mouth closed around her, relishing in the flavor that was uniquely hers for the first time.

Her lips… soft but luscious, and incredibly arousing, tasted of the champagne she'd had at the wedding. It was so sweet, so damn sweet he couldn't get enough. His mouth ate at her, moving ravenously. When his tongue teased at her lips, asking for entrance, Sakura obliged.

With the initial taste of his tongue, any semblance of sanity disappeared. His tongue plunged, retreated, licked at her lips, then plunged once more. Over, then over again. Heat flamed through her, ripping across nerve endings and destroying any sense of control.

She arched her neck as his lips slid down to it, his teeth raked over the sensitive cord and bit. She was going to explode. She was going to melt. Sakura could feel the perspiration gathering on her body as tension tightened and arousal prepared her.

Overheated, her heart pounded, her body throbbed in anticipation of what might come next. "Sasuke-kun… please," she panted.

"I don't think I can stop if I continue."

The husky, thick tone in his voice was so unusual, Sakura opened startled eyes to look at him. Desire, hot and potent, like a thousand blazing candles, burned in his eyes.

She was a virgin, but she wasn't ignorant. As a medic-nin, she knew what the tension between her thighs was, and it was stronger than it had ever been.

It had been no question for Sakura that her love would always belong to Sasuke. To be claimed by him as a woman… It was like being bestowed by a gift she'd never expected. She had dreamed of experiencing pleasure at the hand of the only man she ever loved, had longed to deepen their special connection with the purity of intimacy.

Anticipation rushed inside her. She wanted to please him. She wanted to know how to touch him, how to excite him.

Grabbing his shoulders, she pulled him down and answered with an openmouthed invitation against his lips. With a growling groan, Sakura put his hand around her waist and picked her up. Suddenly, she was out of the kitchen, deliciously aroused, and clinging to Sasuke's hard body.

Never letting go of her lips, Sasuke headed into her bedroom. He had visited a couple of time and knew his way around the apartment, thankfully, so she had no need to verbal voicing its location. She wasn't sure she even had the capability to do so, reduced to a trembling mess of desire that she was.

He dropped her before of the bed and looked at her tenderly. "Are you sure?"

Her decision had already been made. "Yes."

Sasuke held her, his hands sweeping down her body and her gown dropped to the floor. Sakura knew she was lacking in the chest department. The way Sasuke stared at breast though, she got the very clear, extremely distinct impression size definitely didn't matter to him.

Pulling away from her, he flipped the front clasp of her bra and slipped it off. A pale, calloused hand moved over one breast, then the other. Her breath caught on a gasp of delight as her nipples pebbled in anticipation.

"So soft. So sensitive," he groaned.

His hands cupped both breasts, and he ran his thumbs over the distended nipples, caressing leisurely, experimenting. She cried out almost breathlessly when he pinched both nipples with just the exact amount of pleasure. Velvet flames rasped over her flesh as a shock sensation slammed into her womb.

Lowering his head, Sasuke licked each bud, swirling his tongue around them until they hardened into tight, reddened, aching peaks. Her body quivered with desire so vicious and intense, she could scarcely make a coherent sound. Tiny little cries and moans tore from her throat as he began to suckle. It was so good it was killing her. Fingers of sensation trailed to her womb, then ricocheted to her clit and beyond. The slow, sweet suction erupted pinpoints of flames throughout her body and left her gasping, nearly insane beneath the caress.

"Sakura." Rough. Hoarse. The obvious hunger and need in his voice left her weak even as her nerve endings sizzled with unbearable heat.

This was what she had dreamed on, waited on. Sasuke holding her, his voice husky, his desire for her obvious in each touch, each kiss.

Desperate to feel more of his skin, she unbuttoned his shirt. His hands covered hers, and they worked together to undress him. With every piece of clothing he dropped, her need grew. Broad shoulders, lean, defined arms, flat washboard stomach. He was totally, wholly masculine.

Her thoughts scattered as a hand parted her thighs and caressed boldly as it moved up toward the hot throb beating incessantly inside her. With gentle but purposeful intent, his hands slid through her underwear. He cup the sensitized folds of her cunt, and a second later, one broad, male finger was piercing her core. Stars exploded behind her closed eyelids, a whimpered cries escaped as she pushed her body toward his hand.

God, he was touching her there, as she needed to be touched. Sharp explosions of sensation began to vibrate through her clit, her vagina, as a maelström of pleasure whipped through her body.

"Don't stop," she begged.

"Never," he growled. "Not ever." Pulling her hard against him, he slammed his mouth on her and feasted. Her hips lifted, arched as she bucked against him, writhing as his finger penetrated her again and again.

"Damn it. You're so wet for me." He ran his finger through the drenched slit as she arched, a broken cry leaving her lips at the wake of fire that trailed with his touch.

Then she lost her breath entirely as he brought that finger to his lips, tasting her, his gaze deepening, his eyes glowing brighter. She was almost ready to climb up to him when he scooped her up, and carried both of them to the bed. He slid her panties to bare her sex, parted her thighs and pushed them up. His hand restrained her gently, pressing her back to the bed as his head lowered to the wet folds between her thighs, and her senses ignited. His expression was primal, intent as he stared at the syrup-laden entrance to her vagina.

"God. Do you know how much I want you?"

And then his mouth was there, the exact spot she needed it most. His tongue rasped over the bare, tender flesh with the softest stroke, licking at her, burning her with each touch as she fought to get closer. It wasn't enough. She needed more. Her wail of pleasure tore from her throat as his tongue flickered around her clit, sending pulsating, fiery fingers of sensation wrapping around the tight bundle of nerves. Sakura strained closer, her head thrashing on the bed as her hands dug into his hair and she fought to hold him to her.

"Sasuke-kun, please...please..." She couldn't hold back the pleas, the need for release.

"So sweet," he crooned, causing her to jerk, the terrible need tormenting her only growing by second now. Wicked electric arcs of pleasure whipped over as perspiration began to cover her body and the hunger straining in every cell drove her closer to the brink. She needed. She ached.

She screamed as his lips covered her clit, his tongue flickering as he suckled at her flesh.

Release was cataclysmic, it erupted inside her, drawing her muscles tight, pulling her upper body forward as she fought for something to hold onto, to find a sense of balance. A balance that couldn't exist without the fiery ecstasy overtaking her.

"Shit, Sakura. I can't wait anymore." Sasuke rose fiercely between her thighs, a foggy image invading her senses as she stared back at him, dazed, uncomprehending until she felt the sudden, thick pressure parting her, pressing against the convulsing entrance of her core.

"Now." She couldn't scream, could barely speak. "Please. Please."

Her hands gripped his wrists now, her upper body still tense, tight, lifting to him as her gaze dropped between her thighs. There, straining, thick, his erection pressed against her as his hips began to press closer.

"Sasuke-kun." The thin, pleading sound of her voice was unfamiliar to her ears.

"Ssh. Easy." He was panting, his hard abs flexing, thighs tightening.

"No." She couldn't help watching, seeing the thick length, the heavy veins throbbing, the tight flesh steel hard and iron hot. "Now." She lifted closer, moaning in painful need as her flesh began to stretch. She desperately wanted the burn, the excruciating, flaming pleasure she could feel building inside her.

"Sakura. Easy." He slid in deeper, causing the untouched muscles to convulse as the dampness increase, easing the way. Her eyes lifted to his, seeing the color blazing from his dark face, his expression a grimace of painful pleasure.

"Don't wait." She couldn't bear the waiting. "Please."

The sudden upthrust buried his flesh deeper inside her, breaking through her virginity, sending a burst of rapture through her system.

"Shit! Sakura."

"Yes! Oh God, Sasuke-kun." She twisted beneath him, fighting the hold on her hips. She lost her breath as he drew back then filled her, impaled her. Buried the entire length of his erection inside her before he came over her, gripping her hair in his fingers as his lips covered hers.

Mindless, rapturous. The sensation blazed deeper, higher; they filled her senses, overcame reality, and sent her spiraling through a star-studded night as he claimed her, over and over again. His erection was hard, blistering length of iron thrusting inside her, stroking tender tissue, building the flame, the pleasure, to a height she swore she couldn't bear.

Writhing beneath him, she fought for release, gasping, begging, her hands buried in his hair, her lips open against his, every cell possessed by him, stroked by him, inflamed by him.

"Shit. That's it," he groaned, the strokes suddenly intensifying, the rapid-fire thrusts pulling the tension tighter. Deeper. "Just like that."

She shook her head as she felt the sudden contractions in her womb, sure that only death could await, there was no way to survive such pleasure.

"Ssh. It's okay." His voice was tight, encouraging. "Let it have you, Sakura." His voice was guttural, desperate. It was like black velvet, surrounding her, stroking her, filling her.

The release slammed through her body. Sakura felt the sudden implosion, then a heavy gathering, a second before ecstasy finally exploded violently inside her. The convulsive spasms of her womb erupted around his hard flesh, a heavy warmth washing over him as her release spilled through her. Her muscles locked around him, attempting to hold him, to capture forever the rapture radiating through her with such brilliant force.

His arms surrounded her, and he was driving deep, burying himself inside her before she felt the hot, furious blast of his semen began to fill her, spurting inside her with a force that stole any remaining rationality she might have possessed.

Sakura collapsed beneath him, exhausted, gasping, fighting to breath as she shuddered in the aftershocks of a pleasure she could have never imagined existed. "I love you." She could barely force the words from her lips as she let exhaustion take her. As she let sleep enveloped her.

"Just love you."

* * *

><p>Daylight canted impatiently against the unlined curtains at the windows, turning them into bright butter-colored rectangles. Sasuke held Sakura for hours. He had not slept at all at that time, luxuriating in the feel of her. The pleasure of staring at her eclipsed the need for rest. There had been other times in his life when he watched over her, but it was different now that she belonged to him.<p>

For a year now, he had been consumed by miserable longing, desiring her but never knowing if anything would ever come of it. Now, holding her, he felt something unfamiliar, a bloom of euphoric satisfaction. A sense that everything was right, as it should be. He let himself kiss her, unable to resist following the glinting arc of her eyebrow with her lips.

Sakura stirred. "Sasuke-kun," she murmured sleepily.

Sasuke smiled against her cheek. "Morning."

"What time is it?"

"11 o'clock."

She moved closer and draped her head on his chest. "I've never known you to spend so much time abed."

He chuckled. "Until now I've never had a good reason."

She made a sound of amusement. "Fair enough." Time passed as he enjoyed the luxury of her ample, feminine body, enthralled by the comfortable intimacy shared between them.

Sakura had almost dozed of when he muttered softly beneath her ear. "I need to tell you something."

She lifted her head. "What is it?"

He swallowed heavily. "I don't think I could give up on my job, Sakura. Even now when I'm with you."

The thought of abandoning his ambassador duty left his nerves teetering on edge. It was ironic, really, how the person most intent on inflicting destruction on the shinobi world had been the very one who now fervently protected it from any conflict. His wandering a few years back had penetrated his long-held beliefs, that true peace would never be achieved by power nor hate, but love. Faith worked mysteriously, and in a way, Sasuke saw the obligation, the heavy responsibility of his job as a way of making up for his past. Redeeming his sins.

Emerald eyes filled with understanding. "I'm not asking you to, Sasuke-kun."

A tiny flicker of what looked like relief flashed across his face. His arms tightened around her. "I'm sorry. I won't be around a lot."

"Don't be. One day in the future, I'm sure you will be able to take the guilt out of your soul and throw it away. That day, you'll be so surrounded by peace that I'm sure you won't be tempted to ever leave again." She kissed his lips softly. "You'll always be home. With me."

Emotions whipped like whirling tornadoes inside him, explosive and unrestrained. Waiting to be unraveled.

"I love you."

The words came out unexpectedly, yet as easily and as naturally as breathing. And as he gazed up at the beautiful, devoted woman with him, Sasuke realized he really did mean it. His heart was completely and utterly hers.

Offering a smile bright enough to lighten the darkest of hearts, she whispered, "I know."

Sasuke marveled. He'd never been given a greater gift. She was more than he ever could asked for, could ever deserve. He might yet to know true peace, but cradled in her exquisite, comforting presence, he knew that day would eventually come. Slowly, and steadily.

He would count the minutes until it did basking in her love.

* * *

><p>Author's Note : How was it? :D<p>

English is not my primary language, so please pardon any mistakes.

Critics and suggestions would make me the happiest girl alive! ;)


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